Brake slack adjuster



March 27, 1951 M. s. JOHNSON 2,546,753

BRAKE SLACK ADJUSTER Filed Oct. 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet l i I I I INVENTOR. L n i I I J MczZcoZmi/ahmafl March 27, 1951 Filed Oct. 20, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W 5 I! 24 Q I Z 32 ,l 24 59 24 Z2 Z2 INVENTOR. fi/czZcoZm 6 Jaizzzfiafd,

Patented Mar. 27, 1951 1 i FT2,546,77'53 'BRAKET SLACK ADJUSTER 'Malolm sqaohnsain, outages-111.; ss's'ignor -to i- 'lllinois Railway-Equipment floinpaiiy Chicago, 111w corporatil'm of Illinois nispiiea tiisnbcttbei 20, 1947;sei-iai noif'v'smess 7 claims. (omzsv ss) *1 2 PMyfinvention relates 1 to a slack adju'ster- 'or Figni-e 6 is -a-seeti6na1 view taken on the line object the-provision'of-ru rigid-member pivota-Hy I connected to the upper end of the dead -1ever er '5 Fight 8"is a'perspe'etive viewof-the locking pin.

'the bra-ke "rigging and said'member=adjustab1y Tie invention,as exemplified in the drawings, secured 'to-the car underframe -or="cente *si11. "com'prises aksnitablehousingor bracket l-formed Af'f urther' object of" the-invention is 'the' proat its 130p with -a laterally disposed flange Vision of means for adjustably securing said rigid whereby the housing isdepen'dedly secured inany member 'to-"the car undersillso as-topr'ovide ftheio" suitablemanneror by rivets to the lower fiange fiisual normaioi predetermined slack inthe brake "of the car'cehter-siliof whibh a portion is shown rigging in any of'the' adjusted orslackt'ake-up "at l1;'so as to *be di'sposed preferablytowardr one positions of the dead "-1everand said rigid "conside of' 'the $111 as 'sho'wnin Figure 1. The 'lower "trolling fulcrum providing member. fpa'rt of"the*ve1'tica1 --wa11- of the housing I 5 is AnOtherObje'ct of the invention is'the provision "15 laterally cmIarg ed to providethespaced-*side walls 'of'a; finger operated'locking element, forholding 8;" r 5 a n h l w r "ends "the dead lever controlling'mejmber in'its'various united "with each *bther by the bottom wall t9 "positions, which "'has' interlocking "engagement which is shown pr'eferably'- extending longitudi- "with the 'hol'dingfmeans' ori'housin'g 'seeuredfto 'n'ai-iy 'beyonwthe -side iwall portions' 18," 18; as the car *c'ent'er "s'ill so as 1 to 'be'" non-removable20ffshown -ln' Fignre 6, sub'st'antially ini e while in assembled condition; a finger operated e lfitfi-bfthe housing'abovethebottom wall.

from its'holdingposition from the carendw'ithbottomwell-l9 provide a channeI ZU(see' Figures outnecessity for the operator to"get-beneath"the -4-'and "5) extending 1eng'thwise from end to end *emammaommg position car and "which automatically will move to -its zs'f z' housingllito iding-1ycei e a pul d 2 I therein.

A further object ofthdinvention is the'pro- The side w -ails 1'8; i 8 preferahly are reenforced vision of a holding means or supporting-housing "by-the verticaI- webs or ribs 22-,--22,'wh1ch extend whereby the rigid 'lever-contro11ing"mexnber or 'r i' P p 92 housing a i'nwthe bottom pulr'rod may haveiat'eral-playor win ing'mo eao i i i? nd s w l s- -8; I 8 p at opposi e ds "mam aiweepmg with the=mb'v'ement"of'cartrubk imi emb' y-" r i mflihfi afi l firs-Shown 1 "about 'track-ciirvessq as'to' elim'inatanyhin'dmoreclearlyseenmiFlgurea m'entsfmyimprovd structurealso-obviates "them 't'thchamerimiis t a verticallydisnecessity of removing holding? pins "as emplayed i lithe "detailed deseription of the accompanying drawingswherein ture shownattached toa'portion of aear center 7 ;si1 l,- with an intermediate portion opthe-pull rod posed socket at" 23 which communicates at bottom With the channel it-and is opento the outer or' fr'ont end-of the housing and th-ere pro- "died withopposirigly disposed fianges=24; '25, see Figures 5gai'1d '7.

The wan of 'the housing immediately 2 above the chaniiel 0 -isprovided witha longitudinally dispos'ed slofi25*extending from the bottom of the "-'vertical socket '23 and openiat the front' or outer =end *of the housing i 5 ahdte'rminat-ing-at .Figu're 1 is a, plan "view ofJmyimproved- -struc- -th -inner end-' WQH 2 6 of the housingasshown :broken away. '2': i

in Figures 3 and 4. (Figure 2 .-1sas1de-e1evat1on-wlthuan intermedi- The bottom wall '9 of thg housing is provided atelportio? thewemtingm- Puumd v'bmken 'with' an lon'ga ted' closed ended Slot" 21= which w 'ltsmmnel" endshown-pwotauy"secured pre'ferably is'somewhat enlarged at the front or i to the upperrend of a deadslever. Of-WhlCh 'fi ipOr- -,5Q1;o it' n z p u ,hofisingimbefie'a'thl Vertical a y centrally through e su por gous --"zontzv11y:disposed p'oi tion 28, =adaptedto slidingly "locking pin-win:inoperative-epositionrand;the Dull whole faszpatiZB.

andouter end-ofth mill r 1 vim-fit iri-toiitheilongitudihal channelzi't in housing Figure 4 -15 a, somewhatsimilarwiew withethe 1;,15 n ipr v ;w ;b 1 -g 1 eg111; equij-dista'nt he outerend 0f the :pu11- rod -rod removed. sterminates in anl' angular; hahdgraspingtportiqn :Figure 5 is-.a:-vfront-:end elevation with .thespull iififlhadisposed laterally towardsone. side of: theatpl'lll Fred and locking pin-removed. rodssassshowriinr 'li'igured awhiletitheiinnereend of the pull rod terminates in an apertured bifurcated or clevis like portion 3| which is arranged at a suitable angle of approximately 40 or 45 degrees to receive the upper end of the tilted brake rigging dead lever whose upper end is shown at 32, Figure 2, and is secured to the pull rod by a suitable pin as at 33.

The housing i5 is provided with a locking member or pull rod holding pin 34 shown in perspective in Figure 8 and formed with a cylinder shank or body portion 35, preferably beveled or tapered at its lower end, while the upper end is provided with the laterally off-set head 36 having vertical shoulders as at 31. The shouldered end of the head is provided with a finger grasping portion 38 which extends laterally from the headintermediate the shoulders 31, 31; with the lower longitudinal edge of the finger grasping portion 38 formed on opposite sides with outwardly extending flanges 39, 39. The main body portion of the pin 36, when in inoperative or pull rod released position, is adapted to slide upwardly into the vertical socket 23 while the finger grasping portion 38 extends outwardly through the open side of socket 23 between the opposingly facing flanges 24, 2d; at which time the shoulders 31, 3? engage the inner faces of flanges 24, 24 and thus prevent removal of the pin 34. The length of the shank portion 35 of the pin is such that it will extend through a hole 29 in the pull rod and into the slot 21 in the bottom wall of the housing when the hole is brought into vertical alignment with the bottom of the socket 23, allowing the pin to automatically drop into holding position. When the pin 34 is in pull rod locking position, its fiangests, 39 will extend into close proximity to the side walls of the channel 2% and prevent rotative movement of the pin.

When the adjuster is in it initial condition,

namely with new brake shoes and truck wheels,

the pull rod 2| is at its extreme inward position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the first hole 29 at the left hand or outer end of the pull rod adapted to receive pin 35; the latter being positioned in the vertical socket 23 until the end hole 29 comes into register with the bottom of the socket; the pin then moving inwardly with the pull rod until the pin engages the inner closed ends of the horizontal slots 25 and 21, which latter are of length commensurate with the normal movement or slack in the brake rigging. As undue slack in the brake rigging occurs, namely beyond the normal travel, the operator grasps handle 31"; and pulls rod 2i outwardly, lifts pin 34 into socket 23 and continues pulling rod 2i farther outward until the next or succeeding hole 29 comes into register with the pin 50 it drops into the hole and then releases the pull rod, allowing its inward movement with the pin into the position shown in Figure 3, where the initial operative position of the pin is shown in dotted lines.

After the housing I5 has been properly secured or riveted to the bottom of the car center sill, holding or locking pin 34 is then inserted through the outer open end of the housing by inserting the main portion or shank 35 into the slot 21 in the bottom wall. The pin is then slid upwardly into socket 23 by means of finger grasping portion 38 which extends outwardly through the forward open end of the housing; the pin 34 being held in its raised position until the pull rod has been inserted in the channel 20 of the housing. The pull rod is inserted from the rear end of the housing by first introducing the hand grasping end 30 which, by reason of the comparatively narrow lower side walls I8, l8, may be readily inserted into the end of channel 20 and angled about a side wall 22, with the lower fiat face of the apertured portion 28 of the pull rod slidingly resting on the bottom wall of the housing. After the yoke or clevis end 3| of the pull rod 2| has been pivotally secured to the dead lever 32 of the brake rigging, pull rod 2| is then pulled outwardly sufiiciently to bring the first hole 29 beneath the bottom of vertical socket 23, allowing the pin to drop down through the hole with its lower end extending into the bottom slot 21; the operation of the pull rod and pin being repeated, when undue slack in the brake rigging occurs, until the last hole in the pull rod is brought into position to receive the pin, which position will indicate that the wheel and brake shoe have worn beyond the point of safety and efi'icient brake operation.

As is apparent from the structure shown and described, necessity for theoperator to get beneath the car to adjust the connecting pins between the dead levers and the lever pull means, as in structures heretofore employed, is eliminated as adjustments with my improved slack adjuster may all readily be made at the ends of the car. With the comparatively narrow lower side walls i8, i8, beveled as shown in Figure 6, the rigid pull rod may swing laterally in keeping with the movement of the truck about a curve in the track and thus prevents binding action on the pull rod or truck lever; the beveled side walls l8, l8 providing an adequate flare adjacent the ends of the pull rod holding channel 20 in the housing.

The specific construction of my invention has been described in terms of description and not as terms of limitation, as structural modifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A brake slack adjuster comprising a hous- 7 ing and a vertically disposed socket connected with one end of said channel, the lower wall of the channel having a longitudinal closed ended slot of predetermined length commenurate with the normal slack in the brake rigging; a pull rod slidable in said channel, with its inner end adapted to be pivotally connected with the dead lever of the car brake rigging and the portion of the pull rod which is slidable in the housing provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes; and a locking pin initially mounted in said socket and adapted to pass through the holes in the pull rod and into said closed ended slot when the holes successively are brought into register with said socket, whereby the pull rod is locked in its slack take-up positions and the pull rod and pin permitted to travel in saidchannel a distance commensurate with the normal slack in the car brake rigging.

2. A brake slack adjuster comprising a housing adapted to be immovably secured to a railroad car center-sill, provided with a horizontal channel extending therethrough with the bottom wall of the channel having a closed ended slot of predetermined length and having a vertical socket above the channel connecting with the latter, the outer wall of said socket being vertically slotted; a pull rod slidable in said channel,

with inner end arranged to have pivotal connection with the dead lever of the car brake rig ging while the opposite end of the pull rod terminates in a laterally disposed hand grasping portion and the pull rod adjacent the last men tioned end provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes; and locking pin initially mounted in said socket and provided at its upper end with a laterally disposed finger grasping portion arranged to slidably extend through the slotted Wall of the socket, said pin being adapted to extend through the holes in the pull rod and into said closed ended slot wh reby th pull rod locked in its slack take-up positions when the holes in said rod are successively brought into register with the bottom of said pin and the rod and pin permitted longitudinal movement in the channel commensurate with the normal slack in the brake rigging.

3. In a brake slack adjuster, a housing with a slideway for receiving a brake rigging lever con-- trolling rigid pull rod and provided with a ver tically disposed socket at one end whose outer wall is vertically slotted, the bottom of said socket communicating with the pull rod slideway, the housing above said slideway and intermediate the housing and walls being provided with a locking pin-head receiving narrow longitudinal slot communicating with the slideway; and a vertically movable and self-seating pull rod locking pin initially arranged in said socket and provided with a head portion whereby removal of the pin is prevented, said head portion having a finger grasping portion extending laterally through the slotted wall of said socket when the pin is in its initial position, said head portion with the finger grasping portion being slidable in said longitudinal slot during longitudinal movements or" the pull rod and rotation of the pin prevented.

4. In a brake slack adjuster, a housing for slidably receiving a brake lever controlling pull rod, provided with a vertically disposed socket extending upwardly from the pull rod slideway, an outer wall of said socket being vertically slotted with the side walls of the slot provided with opposingly facing flanges; and a vertically disposed pull rod locking pin initially seated in said socket, the upper end of said pin having a head provided with a finger grasping portion disposed through the slotted wall of said socket, the pin-head and finger grasping portion being formed to have sliding engagement with opposite sides of said flanges and removal of the pin prevented.

5. A brake slack adjuster comprising a rigid pull rod one end whereof is adapted to be secured to the end of the dead lever of a railroad car brake rigging, said rod adjacent its outer end being provided with longitudinally spaced holes; a housing, adapted to be rigidly secured to the car center sill, provided with a longitudinal channel extending therethrough and a lengthwisely slotted bottom wall connected to the housing by side walls tapering outwardly at opposite edges to provide flaring sides toward opposite ends of the channel whereby the pull rod may angle laterally; a vertically disposed socket in the housing above the channel with its lower end communicating with the channel, the outer side wall of the socket being vertically slotted; and a vertically movable locking pin arranged in said socket adapted to pass through the registered hole in the pull rod and into the bottom slot whereby the pull rod is held in adjusted position and permitted predetermined longitudinal movement in keeping with the length of said bottom slot, said pin at its upper end having a laterally disposed finger grasping extension extending through the slotted wall of said socket wherebythe pin may be lifted out of the pull rod holes without removal of the pin from the socket.

6. A brake slack adjuster comprising a hous ing having top, bottom and end walls, adapted to be rigidly secured to a railroad car under-sill and provided in its bottom with a channel extending therethrough from end to end, the bottom wall having an elongated slot while the upper wall of the channel is provided with a longitudinal slot communicating with the channel, extending from the outer forward end wall of the housing and terminating short of the inner or rear end of the housing, said slot at the forward wall of the housing terminating in a vertically disposed socket extending upwardly; a vertical slot through the forward wall disposed throughout the length of said socket; a pull rod adapted at its inner end to be pivotally secured to a lever of the brake rigging, said rod being slidable through said channel and provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings; and a self-seating pin initially movable in said socket, provided at its top with an elongated finger grasping head adapted to extend through said vertical slot, said pin being adapted to drop through the openings in said pull rod when the openings are successively brought into alignment with the bottom of said socket.

'7. In a brake slack adjuster for the brake rigging of a railroad car, a rigid pull rod with a plurality of longitudinally spaced engaging surfaces; a bracket housing provided with top, bottom, side and end walls for slidably mounting said pull rod, the lower end of the housing having a pull rod receiving slideway extending from end to end, a longitudinal slot above said slideway and in communication therewith and a vertical socket at one end of the slideway and communicating at its bottom with said slideway and having a vertical slot in its outer side wall, and

a finger controlled vertically movable self-seating pin with a laterally extending finger grasping portion mounted in said vertical socket with its finger grasping portion initially extending through said vertical slot and arranged to slide in said longitudinal slot above said slideway and permit slacking on of the brake mechanism, the walls of said longitudinal slot and said pin being formed to prevent rotative movement of the pin, said pin being operable from the bracket housing exterior when the pull rod is drawn outwardly and adapted to successively effect locking engagement with the respective engaging surfaces of the pull rod during the slack take-up positions of the'latter; the bracket housing being formed to permit the pull rod with the looking pinto have predetermined longitudinal movement.

MALCOLM S. JOHNSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,681,060 Sauvage Aug. 14, 1928 1,947,404 Camp Feb. 13, 1934 2,403,135 Stewart July 2, 1946 

